Flower of Death
by Dakuakill
Summary: A tale of revenge and romance, one woman sets out to journey through the unfamiliar surroundings of the shinobi world. As an outsider, she is unfamiliar, yet familiar with the workings of the ninja society and seeks to avenge a close one's death. (Future ItachixOC) *This fanfic has a lot of OC's so if you don't like the amount of OC's, please don't read this!
1. Prologue

Her silver hair billowed in the wind as she looked up at the purple sky. Her deep violet eyes shone with such magnificence that the crickets stopped chirping and the forest grew calm. Only wind spoke of her presence. She became wind.

When the wind receded, the sky suddenly turned into a brilliant hue of flame. Orange, yellow, and red dotted the sky, reflecting their colors upon the mirror-like lake in front of her. Only flames spoke of her presence. She became fire.

As the sky slowly grew back to its twilight state, dark gray clouds began to form a protective layer above her. Claps of loud thunder boomed above her, followed by streaks of dangerous blue-hued light and a torrential amount of raindrops, started splashing silently around her bare feet. Only lightning spoke of her presence. She became lightning itself.

The sky again returned back to the same color as her vibrant amethystine depths, and the clear water surrounding her gave off a glowing purple pigment. The tranquility of the still water around her created a peaceful environment, giving off a stark contrast from the previous two elements. Only the calm waters spoke of her presence. She became water itself.

The once cracked soil around her began to grow dark and soft as the water quickly found its way through the grainy surface of the dirt. Satisfied that its thirst was fully quenched, the damp soil, flowers, grass, and every living creature sighed in relief, silently thanking the ethereal woman standing before them. Only earth spoke of her presence. She became earth itself.


	2. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Naruto and its characters are owned by Masashi Kishimoto. However, the new plot and all of the OC's are mine.

Author: Dakuakill

Illustration: Dakuakill

Enjoy my first fanfiction!

* * *

Tsunade paced around her office, mumbling worried and angry words under her breath while her blonde pigtails swayed behind her back. As she continuously made a never-ending circle around her room in the Hokage Tower, Kakashi, Naruto, and Sakura stared at her in a perplexed manner, while cocking their heads in confusion. Shizune, Tsunade's personal assistant held a small pig clad in a red top and a pearl necklace, both watching the Godaime with avid interest.

Kakashi, being the first one to speak up, slightly pulled up his black mask and lightly queried, "Ehhhh… Hokage-sama, is there something you would like to tell us? I mean, you did order us to come here just minutes ago after all… It must have been something urgent, right?"

Tsunade immediately stopped pacing and gave Kakashi a deadly glare, making Naruto and Sakura gulp in fear. Her stern gaze held out for a couple more seconds, and then managed to soften up, revealing a number of tired lines around her brows and eyes. She ran a hand through her blonde tresses and sighed, plopping onto her large blue chair behind a very large wooden desk that clearly marked "Hokage" in front of it.

"I apologize for calling you so abruptly, but there has been something nagging in my mind for a while." She rested a cheek against her hand and pressed her pink lips into a thin line, frowning. A couple minutes passed by and the rest of the crowd was beginning to grow more and more restless.

Naruto clasped his fingers behind his head as he leaned against the wall, audibly sighing. "Hey, Baa-chan, could you hurry up already? My precious Ichiraku Ramen is quickly running away from me! I ain't got any time!" He pouted his lips, showing his dismay.

Sakura immediately glared at Naruto for his lack of consideration and punched the top of his head harshly with her hard knuckled fingers, emitting a pained groan from the blond boy. Out of the corner of her verdant eye, she could clearly see that Tsunade was not amused by his immature actions.

The rose haired girl gritted her teeth, harshly spitting out words as sharp as knives. "Hey you dumbass, can't you give your own Hokage a little respect for once? You can see that she is thinking hard, trying to give us a valid answer. Just give her some time, will you?"

Sakura rolled her eyes. Of course something like this would happen. Naruto was the most impatient person she knew, but inwardly, she had to agree with him. Why would her shishou suddenly summon them and leave them hanging like this?

It was then that Sakura regained her posture and spoke up as she rose her hand in advance. "Shishou, if I may ask, what is it that is nagging your mind?" The pinkette sighed in slight exasperation, but made her action very subtle as she was afraid of angering the vexed older woman any further.

"Good question, Sakura." The Godaime exhaled in frustration as she hid her face into her palms, her voice slightly muffled as she spoke. "I'm not sure what to do. The Akatsuki have already sealed the Ichibi, but we have been fortunate enough to have Chiyo-baasama spare the life of the Kazekage." The blond woman lifted her head and clasped her slender fingers underneath her chin as she gravely stared at the trio ahead of her.

"As you guys already know, several other jinchurikis have already been captured in the past…and killed." She ended solemnly, looking down at her calloused fingers.

"And?" Naruto pressed on, suddenly worried with the situation. "And have there been more just recently? Those who we don't know about yet?" His voice grew louder and louder, making Sakura and Kakashi wince with displeasure.

A pained look crossed Tsunade's features, prompting Naruto to hold back his loud thoughts. "Recently, a messenger from a nearby village came to me in the middle of the night, saying that the jinchuriki of the Gobi was kidnapped by two Akatsuki members around a week ago." Tsunade's brows knit together and she clenched her fists so hard that her knuckles turned ghostly white. "I'm sure they've sealed the tailed beast by now."

"Wait, then that means…" Sakura stared at her shishou with wide eyes full of shock. "Then that means that only Naruto and the jinchuriki of the Hachibi are the last ones left?" She glanced at Naruto worriedly, fingers trembling with fear for her close teammate. "We have to do something! Naruto, you—"

"—have to stay here. No matter what." Tsunade finished Sakura's sentence with clear conciseness and gazed at Naruto's face intently, not leaving her honey brown orbs from the blonde boy's whiskered face.

After hearing this remark, Naruto's face contorted into a mixture of annoyance and anger, and shouted, "No! As my duty, I can't possibly do that! I just can't! As a ninja, I need to protect my own village from—"

"You will do as what your Hokage says, correct? You are NOT to leave the premises of this village by any means for the next couple of weeks. If you behave out of recklessness and make even the smallest attempt to escape Konoha, I will personally drag you back in here by your neck and restrain you with chakra handcuffs 24/7. Understand?" Tsunade's harsh, final words reverberated throughout the room, spreading a sense of conclusiveness in its wake. Even Naruto, the most boisterous boy in all of Konoha was diagnosed with the trembling-leg syndrome from the woman in front of him.

Naruto gulped as he stared up at his Hokage's angry face. Her brown orbs looked down at him with a gleam of rage and he could not resist the urge to dash out of the room before she could even lay a single finger on him.

"Ahahahaha… Y-Yes, I understand Baa-chan… Now I think I will go off to Ichiraku Ramen and have some nice big bowls of ramen! Sounds good right? Well, haha I will be off!" Naruto started slowly taking small steps to the door and right when he was a foot in front of the doorframe, he dashed off with speed faster than a mad bull.

Sakura sighed, shaking her head in her hand. "That baka, he never learns anything, does he?" Kakashi just subtly nodded his head in agreement, waiting for the Hokage's last words. He just wanted to get this meeting over with since he had an Icha Icha book waiting for him.

Tsunade focused her attention to the pink and silver haired shinobi in front of her. "As for you two, I would like it if you guys were to look after Naruto's well-being for the next couple of weeks. Your job is to keep him from trouble at all costs, especially with the Akatsuki, understand?"

Kakashi and Sakura nodded their heads with consent and unanimously said, "Yes Hokage-sama."

"And, I have more news to share with you guys as well, though that stupid brat just ran away. Tch, and we were just getting to the most important part!" Tsunade crossed her arms with irritation and leaned back on her comfortable chair.

Sakura raised a brow, curious about the remark. "The most important part? If I may ask, wasn't the most crucial part of today's conversation the fact that Naruto and the Hachibi jinchuriki are now the only living jinchurikis in the world today? What more could there be?"

"Well yes, you are right, Sakura. That clearly is a very crucial piece of information that has graciously been given to us. However, last night, when I got the message, I soon concluded that I've had enough of this whole Akatsuki business and decided to ask for some help." The Hokage grinned, thinking that her plan just might be able to work.

Now it was finally Kakashi's turn to speak up. "Help? What help? From a group of people? A whole village? Or even a whole nation?"

A loud, strong laugh escaped Tsunade's lips, causing Kakashi, Sakura, and Shizune to look up at her in surprise. "Hahaha! Help from a whole village? We already have that. No matter what, I know that Konoha is more than willing to help out, hopefully the other villages would help out too. However, even with the help of Konoha, I don't think it will be possible to take down all of the Akatsuki members." Rising from her chair and placing her hands on both of her hips, Tsunade stared squarely at Sakura and Kakashi in the eye. "We need someone who is strong and brave and can move people's hearts with just a few words."

Now it was time for Sakura, Kakashi, and Shizune to laugh. "Ahahaha! What are you talking about, shishou?" A happy tear escaped the corner of the pink-haired girl's eye and she quickly lifted her index finger to catch the wet drop. "That's impossible! I'm sure no one is like that! And don't we have Naruto to perform that job? He always manages to persuade other with that stubborn personality of his."

"Yes, Sakura, that is true." Tsunade crossed her arms in deep thought. "But actually, for years—even before I became the Hokage—I have always been searching for this one person. Years ago, when she was no more than possibly 6 years old, I sparred with her and noticed that she will be able to carry great strength in the future." Tsunade looked down blankly at her feet. "By now, she is probably the strongest kunoichi."

After the Godaime ended her sentence, a shocked silence filled the atmosphere of the room. Unable to say anything, Sakura, Kakashi, and Shizune looked at their own Hokage with parted lips and wide eyes.

"N-No way… You're not the strongest kunoichi? Shishou, is what you are saying true? If it is, how come you didn't contact this woman earlier? If you had, many lives would have been spared!" Sakura threw her hands up with rising anger, temporarily enraged at the fact if such a person had arrived on the scene earlier, more than half the amount of bloodshed that had already happened wouldn't have occurred in the first place.

"Do NOT vent your anger at this, Sakura. Even if I tried contacting her, I wouldn't have been able to succeed anyway. I knew on that day 15 years ago, that I will no longer be the strongest kunoichi in several years. After my first spar with her, against a mere 5 year old, I knew that she would surpassed me in a number of ways in the future. She was not your average human—no, she was what you call the ultimate genius."

"Then…" Sakura cupped a fist in front of her mouth, apparently in deep contemplation. With realization, she gasped. "Wait, this kunoichi you are talking about, how old is she?"

"She's actually close to your age, Sakura. As of this year, she will be turning 20 years old in two months, so she is around 3 years older than you. Her birthday is on July 15th."

Tsunade continued, ignoring the shocked looks of the three shinobi next to her. "And you guys thought that Itachi Uchiha was an actual genius, huh? Well he is certainly one of the brightest and most accomplished shinobi I have ever heard of, but I'm sure this kunoichi holds too much power for her body to hold. I knew that at some point of her life, she would eventually die very young from having such enormous amounts of chakra in her body, but I immediately disregarded that thought after witnessing her precise chakra control."

"Wait, Hokage-same." Shizune spoke up, grabbing the attention of everyone else from the room. "How come I never heard of this before? I mean, from working with you all these years, I have never seen this kunoichi or even heard you mentioning anything like this." Shizune's voice was tinged with a hint of hurt at the fact that her own shishou had kept these occurrences from her.

Noticing the hurt in her assistant's voice, Tsunade's eyes softened. "Well, she grew up in Konohagakure, but was born in a faraway village that I recently found the name of, so I was unable to contact her all these years. After attending the academy, she graduated and became a genin at the very young age of 6, which is 6 years junior to her 'peers'. But after graduation day, I came to visit her after one of my missions, and she was gone. I even made the attempt to visit the orphanage and the caretakers claimed that she just simply disappeared. They didn't know why."

Tsunade exhaled loudly and closed her eyes, thinking about the words that she spoke from her mouth. "Ever since that day, I haven't heard or seen her once, but I regarded her as an important individual that I would soon have to ally with in the future." She chuckled, reminiscing about the past with this kunoichi. "She was quite a fun one though. Always curious, but at the same time very mature and solemn, relying on no one but herself. It was as if there was a young lady residing inside a child's body. If she accepts my request, god hope she does, I would gladly want to know about her even more."

Tsunade continued, looking down gravely. "But I think she had some form of post-trauma at that young age. She witnessed the third shinobi war and saw that humans could do heart wrenching things to get whatever they want. I also did see several new scars on various parts of her body—perhaps she might have been a kidnapped victim from the war. The possibilities are endless."

The three shinobi in front of her looked at their Hokage with unfeigned shock, slowly absorbing the words she had spoken.

It was then that Kakashi spoke up a second time. "Have we heard of her? Surely there must be a kunoichi as strong as you that we should be aware of."

Tsunade shook her head. "A long time ago, she told me that she wanted to be isolated from the rest of the world, like her village, which apparently sits atop a mountain as high as the clouds and doesn't accept any trade from the other villages. She hated humans, I mean, what could you expect? Witnessing the Third Shinobi World War affected her greatly and because of that, she started growing a hatred for humans. Hopefully she's not too sheltered though. Tsunade leaned forward and clasped her hands and rested them on top of the table. "Well, I guess that's why no one knows about her since she lived most of her life tucked away from the rest of the world."

Kakashi nodded his head in understanding, while Shizune started to ask, "And when will she receive the letter that you sent out to her?"

"Tsunade shrugged. "I'm not so sure, but she should be receiving my letter in around 3 months, since she currently resides at that faraway village of hers. That's why I would like all of us to stay low, and wait until the Akatsuki attack again." She sighed, tired lines etching her artificially young face, making her appear somewhat older than she actually looked.

Sakura, Kakashi, and Shizune's eyes bugged out. "W-WHAT? Three months?! H-How far does she live from Konoha? How were you able to track the location?"

Tsunade shrugged and chuckled. "As the Hokage, I have a lot of power, you know? I have my connections."

The silver-haired jonin asked, "What is her name?"

Tsunade shook her head, regretting the fact that she didn't ask for the girl's name all those years ago. "I myself do not know what her real name is, but we shall see what her true identity is."

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A/N: This is my first fanfiction and there are probably going to be a LOT of typos. Please keep an open mind and bear with me! I'm a novice at this and I have to admit, English isn't my strong suit.


	3. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Naruto and its characters are owned by Masashi Kishimoto. However, I do own the plot and all the OC's in this fanfic.

Author: Dakuakill

Illustration: Dakuakill

Enjoy!

* * *

Flower of Death Ch. 2

Itachi and his fellow partner Kisame raced through the forests of the southernmost Land of Fire, traveling east towards their Akatsuki Hideout. Their black and red cloaks billowed behind them as they jumped fluidly and swiftly on each branch, nimbly making way to their destination.

Wordlessly, they zoomed through the deep green foliage, with Kisame just a step behind Itachi. As they sped through the forest, the corner of Itachi's perceptive eye caught sight of something on a branch around 25 feet away.

A lone figure, cloaked with shadows by the vast amount of leaves stood their, watching the duo with keen eyes followed with an amused grin lining her lips. She wore an unusual outfit and was heavily enveloped in layers of pure white clothing. White hakama pants with detailed, beautiful embroidering covered her legs and showed off her bare feet. She wore a matching white jōe that had large, bell-shaped sleeves covering her hands and fingers and a light yellow senninbari sash that hung two golden bells from her waist.

Her round face and short stature told the duo that she was a young child around the age of 10.

Some parts of her wild celestial silver hair gleamed in the afternoon sunlight while other parts dulled underneath the shadows. Her magenta eyes sharply gazed at the two Akatsuki members without any malice or benevolence. She was simply just observing them…with a confident grin.

Kisame whispered under his breath, loud enough for Itachi to hear. He turned to his partner who's crimson eyes were affixed on the young girl ahead of them. "Do you see what I'm seeing?" He was having a hard time whether she was some sort of celestial deity or a normal human being.

Itachi simply nodded his head once. "Ah." The two of them stared straight at the girl, who still stood there, silent and watchful.

Kisame snickered. "I say we kill her? After all, we wouldn't want a stranger to find out about the hideout." He took a closer look at the heavily robed girl ahead of him and clacked his tongue. "Heh, what a waste. It's not too often we get to come across a true beauty like her, but she's too young for us anyway. No matter how you look at it, she is just a small child. She certainly does look unique, but hey, we live in a big world, don't we?"

Itachi wordlessly nodded his head, agreeing with his partner's words, but wanted to avoid as much bloodshed as possible, much less killing a child. He focused on the girl ahead of him and realized that something was off. Both he and Kisame noticed that she had barely any chakra in her body and could tell that her body was similar to that of a civilian than that of a shinobi.

"Itachi-san, what should we do? Should we…toy around with her?" The shark-nin snickered mischievously, obviously in the mood to have some fun. "Teasing little children isn't really much of a hobby, but it won't hurt to have some fun. We did go through a tough mission yesterday after all. I say we cut off all that silvery hair of hers and sell it for a high price."

Itachi on the other hand, was not pleased with his companion's actions. His face slowly turned to look at his partner, giving him a steely crimson glare.

Ignoring the question, Itachi pondered about his next actions. If she had enough chakra to certify as a shinobi, she certainly could mask it well. Usually, it was hardly the case for a normal civilian to be wandering through the dangerous forest alone, much less stand atop a branch and face two full-fledged Akatsuki members. It was also odd that she was a young child, as children were usually under the wing of a village's protection. Then what could she want? Was she a spy? No, that couldn't be it. She wasn't exactly just passing by either, so what exactly did she want from them?

Itachi halted his thoughts with a final conclusion. He was going to kidnap her and take her to the Akatsuki hideout for questioning. There was something eerie about this girl and he was itching to find out what she was after.

Peering at his partner at the corner of his eye, Itachi muttered under his breath in his usual monotone voice. "Kisame-san, go flank her right and knock her down with your Samehada."

"What why?" Kisame harshly muttered back. "The gal barely has any chakra left, and just giving her a simple punch will knock her down dead. We don't have to go to this extent, right?" He snaked his left hand and curled his fingers around the handle of his trusty sword.

"We will incapacitate her and take her to the Akatsuki hideout." Itachi intoned.

Kisame's fish-like orbs widened. "Eh?" He threw his head back in laughter, slapping a palm on his knee simultaneously. He subtly pointed at the girl in front of them, who was grinning and cocking her head to the side. "Just kill her and get it over with! What's the point in questioning a useless civilian?"

Before Itachi could answer back, the silver haired girl leapt to a branch near them with such grace that he could have sworn she was part crane. She was just 11 feet away, now bathing in all the sun's glory. Itachi narrowed his eyes as he got a good look at the girl. Something about her was off. Her gleaming silver hair—almost a stark white in the sun—, deep violet orbs, and that confident grin on her face managed to incite a hint of irritation within him.

Itachi's senses flared up. Though this mere child in front of them appeared to be completely harmless, both he and his partner tensed up, grabbing hold of the handles of their weapons. After all, she did jump 15 feet across a tree branch with the minuscule amount of chakra she had.

Kisame was the first to move. He unsheathed Samehada from its wraps and pointed the odd sword right in front of the girl's face? "Hey kid, you got a problem with us?"

The girl's face relaxed into a bored expression at his words. She then checked to see if there was dirt under her fingernails.

Itachi's brows slightly furrowed. What could this girl be up to? Does she not realize that there were two missing-nin from a dangerous organization who could easily kill her by lifting a single finger? How could she just stand there and execute such a trivial action when she was under the presence of two S-class criminals? This hurt his pride.

Kisame growled at the fact that the girl clearly payed no attention to his words. He was about to strangle that dainty, fair neck of hers when she finally decided to speak up.

Still inspecting her fingernails, the girl started talking in a high-pitched, childish voice. "Uchiha Itachi and Hoshigaki Kisame." She looked and smiled at them. In a joking manner, she continued on. "Ne, is the Akatsuki organization really that dangerous?"

She peered up at Kisame's face, turning her head left and right to get a closer look. "Looks like this world really is a big place! So what are you, shark or human—"

"Oh shut up, you annoying girl! I'm going to kill you for sure!" He swiftly lifted his sword and swung it at the girl. Before Itachi could do anything, the girl vanished from his view and stood right behind him.

"Eh? How mean!"

Right when the girl's words flew out, both Akatsuki members' eyes widened in shock and turned around to face the girl, realizing that she had the potential to attack their blind spot. Itachi and Kisame simultaneously jumped to another branch, keeping their distance from the petite girl with wary eyes.

Her cheeks puffed up as she pouted her lips. Putting her hands to her hips she chirped at them in annoyance. "Pfft, so boring! And I thought I would receive some form of entertainment from the notorious criminals of the Akatsuki! Humph!"

The muscled under Itachi's right eye twitched slightly in annoyance. How could this girl dare look at them as mere subjects of entertainment? His fingers tightly clenched around his kunai, showing off his angry white knuckles. She would pay and in a matter of seconds, he would relish in watching her look up at them in trembling fear.

"Oy, looks like I have to kill you for sure." Kisame chuckled maliciously, readying his massive sword again. "Though Samehada is displeased about the amount of chakra you have in that body of yours, he does enjoy your chakra flavor very much. Thinks of it as a delicacy, ya know? So now come over here obediently like a good little girl." A sharky green crossed his features, displaying his white jagged teeth. He condescendingly beckoned the young girl to come near him by moving his index finger forward.

Out of nowhere, Itachi appeared right behind the girl while quickly performing a number of hand signs, throwing his head back and placing his fingers in front of his mouth.

"Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu!" An enormous ball of hot flames quickly overtook the girl, singing her hair and robes. In the midst of the attack, the girl threw a hidden smoke bomb, hiding Itachi and Kisame's view of the girl in from of them.

When the smoke cleared, Itachi and Kisame anticipated an unconscious girl burnt to a crisp, but were not able to see her anywhere.

"Oi! I'm up here, you dimwits!"

Itachi and Kisame jerked their heads up immediately, finding the girl leaning against an upper tree branch and crossing her arms relaxedly, much to their irritation.

Kisame widened his eyes in shock to see that the girl looked perfectly normal and had not been burned to a crisp after all, but Itachi merely looked on with an unemotional expression.

"Why that little bitch—!" Kisame gritted out. He growled and swiflty lunged forward, about to cut her down with Samehada. Right before the tip of Samehada touched the girl, she burst into a poof of leaves, disappearing before her enemy's hands.

"What the?" Kisame snarled in anger and roared. "A fucking clone? A clone?! That little bitch tricked us!" He roared and punched his fist into the tree trunk, splitting the tree into two halves.

Itachi leapt back to a different tree branch and stayed silently still. Looking down at his partner from his high collar, he thought about the odd girl who tricked them with a mere clone. In irritation, Itachi quietly emitted a low growl at the thought that he fell into such a trivial trap.

"Kisame-san, I will not tolerate such foolishness. Since this mere child may know some confidential information about Akatsuki's goal, I will ask Leader to allow us to track her down."

Kisame positioned Samehada behind his back. "Damn right you should! When I see her again, I'm going to beat that little punk senseless." He chuckled maliciously. "Boy, am I gonna enjoy seeing her blood all over my hands."

Itachi brushed the thought aside. "Come, let's go to the hideout."

* * *

A/N: This chapter may be a bit confusing at first, but I hope I can disperse your confusion as you read the future chapters! Thanks for reading!


	4. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Naruto and its characters are owned by Masashi Kishimoto. However, I own the plot and all the OC's in this Fanfic.

Author: Dakuakill

Illustrator: Dakuakill

Enjoy!

* * *

 **3 months later…**

"Shiragiku-hime! I've come to deliver news!" hollered a caramel haired girl, who was quickly running through the hallway of an enormous Japanese-styled castle. The caramel haired girl sped through the hallway, easily dodging nearby servants and maids passing by. She abruptly stopped in front of Shiragiku, and gave her a neatly packaged letter.

The girl had shoulder-length maple syrup colored hair, which was curled perfectly into large rings at the bottom. She had large hazel eyes, a small nose, and nicely defined lips. She was of small build, not as small as Shiragiku, and was dressed in comfortable, but appealing casual clothes.

Shiragiku took the letter from the girl's hands and turned it over to see who the sender was. "I told you not to call me Shiragiku-hime, right? How many times have I reminded you to call me Shira?" Her gaze from the letter met the girl's sincere hazel eyes. "Jeez Kiyoko, we've been knowing each other for more than a decade. Isn't it about time to drop the formalities?"

"B-But—"

"ANYWAY, back to the letter." Shiragiku scanned the sender on the back of the letter again, searching for the date it was sent. She smirked when she saw the name as early memories flooded her mind. "It seems like Tsunade needs some help."

"Tsunade? You mean Tsunade-hime, the current Hokage of Konohagakure?" Kiyoko blurted out. She was flabbergasted at the fact that such a powerful woman who she looked up to would be contacting the royal princess of her faraway country. "I can't believe she contacted you! I mean, I look up to her so much! Her medical skills are amazing and I'm sure I can never bring myself to her level!"

"You're already better than her, especially with your medical skills." Shiragiku flipped the letter over and ripped open the packaging, letting the outer layer fall to the floor. A nearby maid immediately picked it up and bowed her head to Shiragiku with respect. Shiragiku nodded and smiled.

"W-W-What?! Oh please, Shira, I can never be like her!" Kiyoko blushed in embarrassment, but was pleased to hear that her close companion complimented her on her medical skills. She spoke up again, out of curiosity? "And why do you refer to Tsunade-hime without any formality? Are you guys friends or something?"

"Beats me, she told me to her address her that way while we were sparring-mates."

Shiragiku continued, as her eyes scanned the content of the letter. What could that old lady possibly want? Her eyes narrow when she looked at Tsunade's anxious, scribbled writing. "Well, it seems she needs some help dealing some damn criminals. Just as I thought. I wonder if it's too late? She did send this letter around 3 months ago. Maybe we don't need to go after all since it might be too late."

"But still, shouldn't we go and pay Tsunade-hime a visit?" Kiyoko queried, as she peered at the letter. "She did specifically ask for you to come."

Shiragiku sighed and rubbed her left temple. "I suppose... after all, I have some personal affairs to deal with the Akatsuki anyway. My chibi clone from a couple months ago found out that their base is located in the Land of Fire."

Kiyoko nodded her head. She knew about these "personal affairs", ever since that fateful day 8 years ago. It was a sensitive topic to Shiragiku and the royal family, and Kiyoko knew better than to talk about it.

I was then a thought occurred in Kiyoko's head. "Wait a second... I thought you loathed humans?"

Shiragiku looked at her companion with a raised brow. "I used to, but not anymore. I guess you could say that I realized that I'm not going to go anywhere if I'm going to isolate myself from the rest of the world."

Shiragiku looked down at her clothes and made up her mind. "Kiyoko, hurry up and change and pack as little as possible. We will be leaving in 2 hours. Make sure to tell my old man that we won't be coming back for a very long time."

Kiyoko saluted. "Yes ma'am! And how long is 'a very long time'?"

"I don't know, but I have a feeling we won't be here for a while. Oh, and make sure to bring your weapons, spare clothing, and medicine." Shiragiku smiled, looking forward to this dangerous, yet interesting journey. It was finally about time she did something productive rather than running things in this isolated village she lived in.

Kiyoko spoke up again. "Oh, Shiragiku-hime, I have one last question. How did you even meet Tsunade-hime in the first place? It seems that you're familiar with her, and besides," Kiyoko eyed the letter in Shiragiku's hands, "it seems that she is aware of your presence too."

Shiragiku stilled. "It was over a decade ago, when I was five years old. I briefly trained with her before the old man's guards brought me back home. I used to live in Konoha, but that was a very long time ago." She chuckled at Kiyoko's shocked expression. "I know, 5 is a very young age to be training with one of the Legendary Sannin, but I wanted to become stronger and besides, the academy I attended there was boring as hell."

Shiragiku continued, eyeing Kiyoko seriously. "And Kiyoko, for the billionth time, stop calling me Shiragiku-hime! When we get to Konoha, I want my title as a 'Princess' to be absent. Not even Tsunade knows of my position and it would be best if we didn't give too much of our personal information to strangers. Trust no one except for those who trust you."

Kiyoko gulped. "Yes, Shira."

"Now go and pack your belongings. I will meet you at the front of the manor in 2 hours—"

"SHIRAGIKU! WHAT IS THIS ALL ABOUT!" roared a deep, booming voice.

Kiyoko gulped and latched onto Shiragiku's arm, trembling in fear at the large, bulky man walking towards them. Shiragiku turned her head to take a good look at the person in front of her.

He had a very long gray beard which was tied with a black ribbon and wore a traditional Japanese dark gray kimono that reached his feet.

Shiragiku grinned at the man behind her. "Hey, pops! Aw dang, you heard? I was about to tell you anyway, but it seems like you already know." Shiragiku scratched the back of her head with her free hand, grimacing inwardly. She knew this would be a problem. Her overprotective father would probably not let her go, but what else could she do? She was given a favor and it was her duty to fulfill it.

"You will NOT leave by any means, Shiragiku!"

Out of surprise, her father knelt on his knees and gave his daughter a large bear-hug, making Shiragiku choke. His permanently stern expression grew into a comical display of tears and worry. "P-PLEASE don't leave your father! After all, I will be so lonely without you! And who knows what will happen to you once you leave the village and into the nasty world! You are my little crown princess after all!"

Shiragiku was still choking, unable to breathe properly under her father's tight embrace. "G-Get o-off of ME!" With her raw power, she successfully pushed her father away and stamped her foot on the ground, placing both of her hands on her hips.

"Don't be such a baby, father! There are currently hundreds of people residing this too big-ass castle of yours! And I'm sure you can manage without me. Besides, as the Commander-in-chief of the Stealth Force, I can manage just fine in the outer world." Shiragiku rested a hand on a still trembling Kiyoko. "Kiyoko will also be accompanying me since she is my loyal assistant and official secretary and also my personal medical caretaker."

"B-But—!"

Her father's words were cut off when Shiragiku held out her palm. "Nuh-uh, don't you dare utter another word! Whatever you say, I will go no matter what!"

Was this truly a typical father-daughter relationship? It felt as if she was the one who was scolding her father instead of the other way around.

With a huff, Shiragiku pivoted her foot and walked to the opposite direction of where her father was standing, her silver hair swaying on her back. Kiyoko followed close behind. After all, their rooms were right next to each other.

Shiragiku's purple eyes narrowed in exasperation. "Jeez, I can't believe that stupid father of mine is the king of this country!"

"Ahahaha, but he is very strong! The people look up to him in fear, but also respect him very much!" Kiyoko reassured.

"Sure, he's strong, but he has a weak ass mind. And wait till the people see his true self. I'm sure they will be very shocked indeed." Shiragiku muttered. She slid open the shōji doors and turned on the lights in her room.

"I'll see you in 2 hours. Make sure to wear your ninja garments and pack your weapons."

Kiyoko silently nodded and entered her own room.

Shiragiku shut the doors of her room and stepped on the nearest tatami mat. As crown princess, it was expected of her to have a large room with expensive regal furnishings on her furniture. But Shiragiku respected modesty very much and ordered the servants to provide her an ordinary traditional Japanese room with as few furniture as possible.

She stripped down her heavy, white robes and slipped on a black, turtleneck, backless, sleeveless undershirt that clung tightly to her small, slim body. She also quickly put on a pair of tight black stirrup leggings and tied a large beige sash around her waste, simultaneously wrapping the belt of her black sack around her small waist. Opening a drawer full of various weapons and items, she slid 5 kunai into her sack, a wrap of bandages, a couple explosive tags, and some smoke bombs.

Closing the weapons drawer, she lifted one of the tatami mats in the corner of her room and grabbed a beautifully decorated old wooden box. She carefully laid it next to her and closely opened the lid, finding a sheathed dagger with an elegant silver design of a dragon on the scabbard. Unsheathing it, Shiragiku looked at the gleaming bluish-silvery blade, admiring its shining beauty under the lights of her room.

"It's been a while, hasn't it, Muramasa?" Shiragiku smiled, tracing her finger over the sleek blade. The sword hummed in appreciation, glad to be back in its master's hands. This sword, whose name meant "dragon eye", was over 500 years old, one of the two heavenly swords of the Hakuryu clan. Both swords were to be given to the next successor, but Muramasa's counterpart, Masamuna, was stolen on that fateful day 8 years ago.

"It's time to find your brother, huh?" Shiragiku sighed, knowing that gaining back Masamuna would be a difficult process, but as crown princess, it was her sole duty to bring the two swords back together.

Sheathing the dagger, Shiragiku slipped the scabbard within her tightly tied sash around her waist. Closing the lid of the wooden box, she placed it back to her rightful place and slid the tatami mat back on top of it.

Opening another drawer, Shiragiku grabbed an arm sleeve and slipped it on her right arm. She also grabbed a black glove and pulled that over her left hand, making sure it fit tightly over her thin fingers.

Walking over to a full-body mirror to examine herself, Shiragiku ran her right hand over her left arm, tracing the black striped tattoos that coiled around her whole appendage. It was a consequence of a major contract she signed years ago that forever changed her life.

It was then that she remembered that one of her clones was destroyed by a pair of Akatsuki members several months ago. Uchiha Itachi and Hoshigaki Kisame. Both S-class members were notorious for their evil crimes; one was known to have massacred an entire clan and the other was feared t o be a monster from the Hidden Mist.

Her eyes narrowed as she bit her fingernail. Those bastards just had to finish off her chibi clone! As an outsider of the shinobi villages, Shiragiku often had a hard time learning about current issues, so she had to really on her numerous clones scattered around the world in order to gain intel. Tsunade's letter was a once in a blue moon occurrence. But how in the world did the old lady find out her whereabouts?

Well, whatever. Next time, she will definitely try to send a couple more clones to find the Akatsuki hideout.

Walking away from the mirror, Shiragiku opened her closet and pulled out a pale yellow jōe robe and slid if off the hanger, slipping the large robe over her tight black outfit outfit. It had her family symbol of the Hakuryu Clan embroidered on the back, which was a dragon arched in a circle, devouring its tail. She also took out a pair of lightweight black hakama pants and slid them under her robe. Grabbing another beige sash, she tied it around her waist.

Good. Now she was finished wearing her clothes. Opening a drawer under closet, she grabbed a pair of metal shinguards and buckled the clasps securely around her shins.

"And next…" She groaned when she saw a single pair of white shoes waiting to be worn.

She hated shoes and instead loved the feel of grass and earth beneath her toes. But since this journey would be a long one, her feet would definitely suffer under the different textures of the harsh earth. Groaning again, she walked over to the pair of white shoes and reluctantly slid it over her feet. It felt awful.

With that, she was done getting ready and switched off the light in her room, sliding the shōji doors behind her. Now it was time to summon the 50 strongest shinobi of the Stealth Force. But before that…

Shiragiku knocked on the door of the room next to hers. "Kiyoko, I'm ready to go whenever you are. It's been an hour and 30 minutes already."

"C-Coming!" called out Kiyoko's feminine voice from the room. Sliding her shōji doors shut, Kiyoko carried a light backpack, probably filled with a myriad of medical items. She was donned in a pair of navy blue ninja pants and wore black sandals and a plain green shirt with mesh sleeves. Her hands were covered in fingerless gloves and she also wore thigh pouch. In the pouch held 100 senbon, 50 of them were poisoned and the rest were dipped in paralysis venom.

"Ready?" Shiragiku grinned.

"Ready!"

The two of them made their way through the maze of hallways in the castle. It took them 15 minutes to reach the Stealth Force chambers, where they would assemble the 50 top candidates for this mission.

"We finally made it. I don't understand why my ancestors had to make this place so damn big!" Shiragiku shook her head in irritation while Kiyoko silently suppressed a chuckle.

They knocked the double wooden doors of the Stealth Force building and opened it. The Stealth Force members were currently having their dinner, but as soon as they caught sight of Shiragiku, they immediately stopped eating and stood up, bowing in respect.

In unison, the Stealth Force members all shouted, "We give you our full attention, Shiragiku-taichou!"

Shiragiku lifted her chin slightly as she clasped her hands behind her back in her bell-sleeved robes, looking down at the bowing men. She frowned in annoyance. "Not you guys too! Raise your heads men and women, and address me as Shira."

Her second-in-command, going by the name as Hideki, started speaking. "But Shiragiku-taichou, it's impossible for me to address you without any formality! I mean, you are the—"

"—Ok, I get it, fine!" Shiragiku cut off the older male, waving her hand in dismissal in annoyance. "Anyway, everyone, I have a mission for you all, but only 50 of you guys will be selected to accompany me and Kiyoko." The Stealth Force members looked on silently, waiting for their orders.

Shiragiku continued in a charismatic, clear voice. "I am not choosing these 50 members out of rank or favoritism, but because these members are best suited for this certain mission. I can not assure that there won't be any deaths, as there is always a high mortality rate throughout all the missions you guys have been through. However, this mission will be extremely risky and dangerous for the most of you. If you choose to decline, that is going against the contract you signed with me years ago." Shiragiku eyed each and every member solemnly. "Understand?"

The Stealth Force members nodded.

She turned her head at Kiyoko, who took out a small scroll from her bag, unrolling it. Reading from the top, she asserted the names of all the 50 members selected to be a part of the mission.

Shiragiku clapped her hands twice and spoke in a commanding voice. "Alright everyone, you guys can continue eating your meal, but I have one last thing to tell you all. For those who will be accompanying me, please mask your chakra and use Meisaigakure no Jutsu, so that people around me won't be freaked out that I'm bringing a whole army of assassins. I repeat, please mask ALL of your chakra. ALL of it. Make sure your 5 years of chakra control training does not go to waste, understand?"

"Yes, taichou!" The 50 selected members nodded their heads in unison as they proceeded to quietly continue their meal.

Shiragiku paced around the room in a commanding manner, her hands clasped behind her back. "As for those who won't be coming along, do not worry! It is your duty to stay behind and protect the royal family at ALL costs…well, that's only my father, but nevertheless, makes sure he is safe and sound. The old man can go a little crazy at times. Also, make sure to look over the rest of the village. If anything happens, it is your duty to fix the problem and address it to my father, who will give you further instructions. Other than that, please use your time wisely and hone your techniques even further! I plan on testing your progress for each and every one of you once I come back."

Shiragiku smiled widely, turning to a slowly separating group of highly skilled assassins to her left. "As for you 50, finish your meal in 5 minutes, and meet me and Kiyoko in front of the building in 15. Make sure to pack the weapons you are most comfortable with. While we travel to Konohagakure, Kiyoko and I will not associate ourselves with you guys unless necessary, so it's your job to provide yourselves with food, water, and clothing. When I give a signal, make sure to respond to it immediately or else consequences will occur. Understand?"

"Yes, taichou!"

While walking back and forth, Shiragiku suddenly stopped and turned to face the Stealth Force members squarely, especially for those who were male. "Oh, and please, please, please give Kiyoko-san and I some privacy, ok? You don't want what happened last year to happen again, right?" Shiragiku gave the men an artificial smile masked with eminent fury.

The males shuddered in fear. One year ago, during a mission, one of the Stealth Force members accidentally walked in on the two women as they were washing themselves in a lake. He was delivered a raging punch by Shiragiku on the head and to this day, has a massive scar on the top of his head.

"Alright, see you all in 15 minutes. I expect you to be at the front of the house at 7 pm sharp. Got it?"

The men nodded and proceeded to finish their meals.

Shiragiku and Kiyoko stepped out the Stealth Force building, closing the large wooden doors.

Kiyoko started, motioning her hands in worry. "Shira, are you sure it's ok to be that harsh with them? I mean, we should at least provide some food and money for them!"

Shiragiku gave Kiyoko a dark look, sending her close friend shivers. "Kiyoko, do you know what the Stealth Force is supposed to be? Yes, a militia for killing, assassinating, and murdering. That's the sole duty of Stealth Force members. I've trained them to see the appearance of blood as a usual, normal thing. They survive on coldness, not warmth, and that's why we've been so successful in all of our missions." Shiragiku muttered under her breath, only loud for Kiyoko to hear. "That's the reason why I've swayed you away from becoming a SF member. Because I knew you would never be fit for the job."

Kiyoko stared at the princess with gloom, remembering that she was given this lecture many times before.

Shiragiku raised her head and looked at her close friend solemnly. "Do you remember what I told you before? The SF is not meant for everyone. When a comrade is faced with an opponent, it's best that we attack the opponent from behind. But when our opponent is much stronger than us, it is best to let your comrade die rather than have both members dying. That is the way of the Stealth Force. That is the way of the assassin."

"But that's just cruel! I don't go by that rule and I never will!" Kiyoko shook her head in disbelief.

Shiragiku shook her head. "The more reason why you aren't an assassin, but a medical-nin. Kiyoko, we live in a very, very cruel world. But the reason why it's cruel is because there are those who would sacrifice their bonds with their own comrades for something selfish. You know, the worst kind of people are those who turn from being comrades to becoming enemies."

Kiyoko knew that phrase all too well. After all, her best friend had been first-handedly betrayed by a close ally 8 years ago.

"Well!" Shiragiku smiled brightly, abruptly changing the subject. "Let's head down, shall we? This place is over 40,000 square feet and it would take too long to walk down the hallways again. Instead, lets…"

Shiragiku suddenly grabbed Kiyoko's wrist, who let out a high-pitched squeal as Shiragiku was quickly dragging her to the balcony. The two of them swiftly jumped from the seven story building, landing quietly on the concrete ground.

Kiyoko gasped breathlessly, clutching her chest from the sudden change of action. "N-N-No wonder you're called the Silent Demon! You literally walk like a cat—no one can hear you wherever you go."

"Well I suppose…" Shiragiku looked up at the night sky wistfully, counting the stars and trying to draw an abstract looking face on the moon with her imagination. Nights like these were the most beautiful. Calm, silent, and eerie.

"So, how long will it take for us to reach Konohagakure?" asked Kiyoko quietly. Her hands were slightly trembling, worried about the mission awaiting ahead of them.

"A week and a half maybe, if we run at 70 mph, for 6 hours per day. That would be around 3000 miles, which is a close approximation of the distance from Tsubakigakure to Konohagakure."

Kiyoko just stared at her best friend. "That's an awfully specific description. But nevertheless, this will be a really tough journey with many obstacles."

"Damn right you are."

Shiragiku noticed 50 able-bodied members silently surrounding the two of them behind the shadows of the palace. If a normal civilian or even a ninja would be with her at the moment, they most likely wouldn't be able to detect these powerful, professional assassins, even if they tried to.

"It's time to go."

Right after Shiragiku delivered a quick hand signal, all 52 of them flickered out of sight, making way to their future destination.


	5. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: Naruto and its characters are owned by Masashi Kishimoto. However, I own the plot and all the OC's featured in this Fanfic.

Author: Dakuakill

Illustrator: Dakuakill

Enjoy!

* * *

Flower of Death Ch. 4

 **10 days later…**

It was the middle of a bright, sunny afternoon. Tsunade sat on her desk, wondering if her message really was delivered safely to its recipient. Considering the location of her village, it would take nearly 3 weeks for the woman to arrive to Konoha.

Tsunade couldn't wait. She couldn't wait to see how much the little girl she knew 15 years ago grew in power and appearance and was looking forward to her arrival as the days passed by. Her arrival was kept secret for the time being, as she would be their desired secret weapon against the Akatsuki. It wouldn't be good if everyone knew of her presence.

As guilty as she felt, Tsunade knew that the young woman needed to be used as a weapon. The Akatsuki still hasn't made a single move after all of these months and the Godaime was getting increasingly anxious by the minute.

However, she knew that the silver-haired girl was not to be trusted. Especially in the beginning.

Trust was everything for Tsunade and during the girl's stay at Konoha, she needed to be aware that the girl wouldn't be up to something dangerous. It would be awful if she posed to be a huge threat to Konoha rather than a vessel of safety and security.

She leaned back on her chair and closed her eyes, yearning for the taste of that delicious alcohol swirling in her mouth. With her eyes still closed, she shouted, "Shizune!"

A black haired woman's head popped from the hallway, hands full of stacks of medical papers, wearing a curious expression. "Yes, Hokage-sama?"

"Bring me a bottle of the most expensive sake!"

Shizune wore an irritated expression. "Tsunade-sama, too much alcohol is bad for you and as the top medical-nin in the world, you should be ashamed of asking such a favor! And besides, it's the middle of the day—"

"Shizune!" Tsunade growled while slamming her fist on the expensive cherrywood table. Several hairline cracks spread throughout the surface.

"Y-Yes…"

* * *

The pair stood in front of the large gates of the village.

"So this is Konoha…It looks very different from when I remembered it."

Verdant large wooden double doors were spread open, revealing the bustling streets of Konoha. On the left were two sentry guards looking over the entrance. One wore a bandage that stretched across his face and the other wore a chin guard. Both were sleeping soundlessly, most likely due to boredom.

But something was wrong.

An enormous part of Konoha was under construction and there was a large amount of debris in every corner of the city. Houses and various buildings were being constructed in every street and the only a small number of buildings were safely intact, including the Hokage Tower.

"Well, it looks like something big has happened recently. From what I see, there seems to be a large crater in the middle of Konoha. Someone must have caused that." Kiyoko murmured, her tone laced with sadness.

"Yeah…" Shiragiku stared at the destroyed city in front of them, still alive with the bumbling civilians fighting their way through the streets. She spotted a number of Konoha shinobi gliding through the roofs of buildings, making way to their destinations. "But it doesn't concern us. Let's go." She gave the sentry guards an amused look and silently proceeded to enter the village.

As they walked around, the civilians momentarily stopped doing whatever they were doing. They watched the pair of women with curiosity, as they have never seen them before. They especially stopped to look at Shiragiku, since she wore odd clothing and had a hair full of gleaming silver hair along with those deep violet eyes of hers. But after a couple seconds, they continued their tasks and ignored the pair. Being a Konoha civilian, they've probably seen odder things.

It was then that Shiragiku noticed something at the corner of her eye. "My goodness, that place is still there? I gotta say hello to the owners!"

Kiyoko followed Shiragiku's gaze and noted a stand-up restaurant at the far end of the street. The sign wrote "Ichiraku Ramen. Open from 12-10 pm." A middle-aged man and a young lady stood behind the stand, boiling noodles and cooking up the ramen broth. Sitting on one of the chairs was a single young blonde boy, who had 5 empty bowls standing right next to him. He slurped his noodles with such vigor that both Kiyoko and Shiragiku started to feel full from watching him.

Kiyoko placed a hand on Shiragiku, shaking her head. "Shira, I think we should definitely meet Tsunade-sama first. After we meet her, she will probably let us get situated in the village and during that time, we can roam around and browse."

"Your'e right, we better go to Tsunade. She's definitely waiting for our arrival."

The girls quickly pushed their way through the crowd and in no time, stood directly in front of the Hokage Tower.

Meanwhile, Tsunade was napping on her chair, beer bottle in hand and all, until she suddenly awoke by the sound of knocking. Breaking out of her dazed state, she regained her posture and clasped her fingers on her desk, briefly swiping the drool from the pink lips. "Come in!"

"Tsunade-sama, I can't believe it! They're already here!" called out a breathless Shizune, who slammed open the door.

Tsunade's face contorted into a shocked expression, affected by her assistant's abrupt action. "W-What? Who?"

"The woman you sent the letter to months ago! Who else could it be?"

Tsunade placed her hands on the table and immediately stood up. "What?! How come she's here so early? Where is she now?"

Shizune shook her head. "H-How am I supposed to know? She's waiting outside the tower with her companion."

"Well, what are you waiting for?! Hurry up and bring them in! Also, summon Konoha 11 and Kakashi NOW!"

Tsunade's heart was beating in anticipation. She was nervous not because she hadn't met the girl for a very long time now, but was nervous at the thought of the girl—no the woman holding much power and strength by now.

"Y-Yes Tsunade-sama!" Shizune leaped from the door frame, frightened at the hurried tone of Tsunade's voice, but excited to personally meet the woman her sensei was raving about for months now. She couldn't wait to see what the woman and her so-called companion was like and immediately wanted to learn about them as much as possible.

As Shizune ran through the hallway, she quickly spotted a trio of Anbu members and asked them to summon Konoha 11 and Kakashi. The three of them nodded and disappeared in a flash.

Rushing down the stairs, she opened the front door and silently gasped. Her eyes were immediately drawn to the girl on the left, staring openly at her celestial silver hair and deep purple eyes. The woman was just like a fairy or some sort of beautiful heavenly maiden. On the right was a very pretty young woman, possibly in her teenage years, who had a matching set of caramel hair and honey colored eyes. Both were young and gorgeous and Shizune wondered which one of them could be the woman Tsunade was talking constantly about for the past few months.

"Pleased to meet you." Shizune said evenly, despite the excited emotions stirring quickly in her abdomen. "My name is Shizune. The Hokage would like to see you."

Leading them up the stairs, she stopped by the Hokage's office, hearing a number of different voices from the room. Surprised at the fact that the Anbu members had summoned Konoha 11 in a matter of minutes, Shizune entered the room, telling the female pair to stay behind for the time being.

As soon as the young Leaf shinobi saw Shizune entering, the chatter momentarily ceased. But of course, it was Naruto who was the first to speak up. "Ne, Shizune-san, why were we summoned? I was in the midst of eating my delicious ramen when those pesky Anbu members disturbed my peaceful meal!"

Sakura punched Naruto in the head, shouting, "Baka!", allowing Naruto to shut up temporarily.

"Everyone", Shizune started, ignoring Naruto's comment. "We have two important guests here, so please be quiet and refrain from interrupting. I would like everyone to give them their full attention."

Sakura eyed Kakashi and both of them knew who this important guest was. She was finally here. The one who had the potential of ending this bloody skirmish against the notoriously evil Akatsuki.

The Hokage looked calm, but inside, she was very curious and anxious, as she was looking forward to this day for many months. She nodded her head and said in a commanding voice, "Come in."

Shiragiku and Kiyoko entered the room, fully aware that there was a large crowd in the small room.

Shiragiku smiled, her eyebrow twitching a millimeter. "Pleased to see you again, Tsunade. You look as if you hadn't aged a bit after all these years." It was then the corner of her lip twitched in mild irritation. It was hot and humid in the room, and she wanted to strip herself entirely of clothing and take a nice cold bath. She looked around the room without rotating a centimeter of her head. Eleven young ninjas stood around her, staring at her intently as if she had a flower growing on the top of her head. There were also several adults, including Shizune and Tsunade, along with a white-haired shinobi standing in the back of the room with a pink haired teenager.

Tsunade nodded in welcome and smiled cockily, ignoring the shocked expression that donned on everyone's faces. As she observed the young woman ahead of her, she was internally shocked at how much her physical appearance changed. The baby fat she had as a 5 year old melted away, revealing a slim, beautiful face with a slightly pointed nose, full lips, and long lashes. However, rosy cheeks and deep violet eyes still stayed the same.

"Of course, it is what I'm known for, correct? And you too, Shiragiku-san, you look wonderful and full of health." Tsunade responded with pride at the fact that her anti-aging jutsu had proven to be successful after all these years.

Again, Naruto interrupted, pointing a finger at the silver-haired woman before him. "W-W-What did you say?! You called Baa-chan by her first name, how could you?! Do you have any sense of—"

"Naruto!" Tsunade barked out. She gave the blonde a menacing, dark look that could send anyone a heart attack. "If you utter one more word, I will personally drag you out of this building and throw you into a coffin full of needles, you understand?!"

"Y-Yes…" Naruto sulked quietly, but glared at Shiragiku, who was giving him a condescending smirk.

"Anyway this woman in front of me will be contributing a large part to defeating the Akatsuki. It would be great if you guys could allow her to get situated in the confines of Konoha. I trust you treat her with the utmost respect so that she could learn to grow comfortable here. And please, give her comrade the same treatment too."

Shiragiku bowed her head. "I thank you for your hospitality, Tsunade." In the midst of bowing, she quickly stared at the blonde, boisterous boy near her. Kurama.

Tsunade smiled and nodded her head. "You are always welcome. You must be very tired from your long journey. I have provided you and your comrade a room with fresh clothing and food. Let us convene again in 3 days."

"Thank you very much, Tsunade. I look forward to my stay here." Shiragiku smiled warmly as Shizune handed both Shiragiku and Kiyoko their apartment keys. They bowed in appreciation.

Tsunade nodded in the female pair's direction. "Please, could you two introduce yourselves?"

Shiragiku's eyebrows rose in slight astonishment. "Oh yes, I totally forgot! How rude of me!" She looked around at the group of teens, meeting each of them directly in the eye. "I'm Hakuryu Shiragiku, but you can address me as Shira. And this is my companion. Her name is Kiyoko."

Sakura smiled at the pair. "We look forward to be of service to you!" The other teenagers agreed in unison, except for grumpy Naruto.

A brunette girl with two round buns atop her head grinned welcomingly at the pair. "There's so much I would like to talk to you guys about! Why don't we go to Ichiraku Ramen?"

Naruto bumped his fist up in the air, forgetting about his small grudge against the silver-haired woman. "Yeah! Yeah! We should definitely go!" He looked over at a raven haired girl with beautiful pearl eyes who blushed right when she noticed Naruto looking at her. "Hinata, you should come too! Actually, all of us should go! It would be so much fun!"

A boy with red triangular streaks and sharply angled eyes standing next to a large white dog looked at Naruto doubtfully. "Oi, Naruto and Tenten, you guys really must be stupid."

The two teenagers looked at the canine-faced boy behind them with narrowed eyes. Naruto rose a brow at him and yelled out, "What the hell do ya want, Kiba? Are you going against Baa-chan's orders to not introduce Shira-san and Kiyoko-san to Konoha's best restaurant?" The blond boy barred his teeth at the red-streaked boy while his glare only narrowed further.

Kiba sighed, placing his index and thumb on his forehead while shaking his head. "Oy, you think that small restaurant could fit over 11 people? It's best that Shira-san and Kiyoko-san go eat there alone. Besides, they probably need some time to rest after their journey. Give them some space will ya?"

The boy's dog barked in agreement.

"Ehhh?" Naruto looked at Shiragiku and Kiyoko with a frowned face. "Fine…"

Shiragiku chuckled, amused by the younger boy's comical expressions. "Don't worry, jinchuriki-san, I'm sure we will get to know each other soon enough."

Naruto and the others looked at her with stunned expressions. "W-What?! How did you know that I was the jinchuriki?"

Shiragiku shrugged, as if she didn't care about all the teen's shocked expressions directed at her. "I mean, I can tell. It's quite obvious. Besides, Kurama-san just said hello to me." She leaned down and gazed at Naruto's abdomen, much to everyone's astonishment. "Right, Kurama?" When she couldn't hear Kurama saying a word, Shiragiku frowned. "Fine! If you don't want to talk to me anymore, so be it."

Shiragiku pivoted her heel and abruptly turned away from the blonde boy, her robe billowing from the sharp movement. She placed her hands on her hips in slight annoyance and quietly humphed.

A grumpy looking teenage boy shoved his hands into his pockets, and kicked imaginary dust on the floor. "What an odd woman…Tch, jeez, women are so troublesome. I don't understand why we had to be summoned just because of a some stranger."

Shiragiku gave the younger man a pointed glare, observing him at the same time. He had a spiky looking high ponytail with slanted eyes and a permanent frown. How could such inconsiderate teenagers be identified as the "noble ninja of Konoha"? She stole a furtive glance at Tsunade, who was slowly turning red with anger, and internally thought that she herself could do a better job disciplining these young shinobi much better than the Hokage. Before she could correct that awful mouth of his, she was cut off by the Godaime.

"Shikamaru! I command that you shut that irritable mouth of yours!" Tsunade glared at the spiky haired boy with pointed daggers. She slammed her palm down harshly on the table, creating a scarier effect, only to leave the crowd in front of her minutely surprised that she had not cracked the table in two. "Shiragiku is a highly competent kunoichi and I trust that you give her much respect!"

Shiragiku's eyes slightly narrowed at Tsunade. How could she address her as a kunoichi? She was an assassin, an SS-class assassin at that. Though she did utilized jutsus and occasionally ninja weapons, there were a lot of other things she could do that shinobi lacked.

Leaning back on her chair, Tsunade crossed her arms and looked at the 11 teens. "I trust that you all learn to work with her as she will be a key part to our future plans. Please do not cause any further trouble and refrain from asking them any unnecessary questions." Tsunade eyed Kakashi and Sakura, who were standing off to the side. Giving them a knowing nod, she said, "You are all dismissed."

The 10 shinobi quickly scurried out of the room while Sakura, Kakashi, and Shizune stayed behind.

Staring directly at Shiragiku, Tsunade asked, "Shiragiku, I presume you only brought one companion?"

Shiragiku looked at Tsunade with slightly curious eyes. Why had the Godaime dismissed the others while having her and Kiyoko stay behind? Without moving her head, she saw the two shinobi eyeing her observantly. Judging by their upright positions and the green flak jackets they wore, she concluded that they were probably of jonin rank and of high caliber.

Remembering the Hokage's question, Shiragiku hesitated to answer for a split-second. Should she trust Tsunade? Perhaps not yet.

"Yes, it's just Kiyoko and I." Shiragiku knew she had to be cautious at all times and never let her guard down, especially around powerful beings like the Hokage.

Tsunade nodded, completely trusting the young woman's words. Her shoulders eased a bit. A large number of people suddenly visiting Konoha would cause much uproar and she did not want any of that.

The Godaime turned to her personal assistant. "Shizune, go and escort these two young women to their apartment. I'm sure they would want to wash up and get well rested before their meal."

Shiragiku and Kiyoko bowed again to the Hokage. As she raised her head, Shiragiku gave the Hokage a slight smile and said, "Thank you for warmly welcoming us in Konoha. We look forward to working with you."

With that, the three of them left the room, their feet lightly echoing through the hallway.

Tsunade slightly leaned against the chair and breathed a sigh of relief. Rubbing her face with her palms, she sat back up and quickly regained her posture.

Clasping her slender fingers, Tsunade eyed the two jonin ahead of her with a serious expression. "Kakashi, Sakura, I want you two to keep a watchful eye on Shiragiku and her companion just in case anything funny happens. Keep an eye on them for a couple days until you guys can conclude that their appearance in Konoha will not bring any harm or injury to anybody. Understood?"

Both nodded. "Yes, shishou."

Tsunade leaned against her chair again and crossed her arms. "I am fully aware that Shiragiku is a strong individual and I would also like to tell you that it is your job to see if her name is listed anywhere in the Bingo Book. You got that in mind?

The pair nodded again, there faces devoid of emotion. "Yes, Hokage-sama."

"Good. Though she may serve as an ally, it is always good to stay vigilant at all times, especially when around those who have a dangerous amount of power."

"Yes, Hokage-sama."

"Alright, you two are dismissed."

Sakura and Kakashi saluted and vanished into thin air.

Tsunade sighed and rested her face in her hands. "Ugh. This week will be so hectic, now that Shiragiku is here. Shizune! Get me a bottle of sake!"

Remembering that her assistant was escorting the guests to their rooms, she frowned. Lazily getting out of her chair, Tsunade made her way out of the room, in search of her awaiting bottle of liquor.

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A/N: I hope you have been enjoying my Fanfic so far! Please be sure to give me any possible feedback! I would love to hear some constructive criticism and praise on my newest Fanfic!


	6. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: Naruto and its characters are owned by Masashi Kishimoto. However, I own the plot and all the characters featured in this Fanfic.

Author: Dakuakill

Illustration: Dakuakill

Enjoy!

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Flower of Death Ch. 5

"Are you telling me that there is a possibility that someone might be spying on us?"

The orange haired man eyed Itachi and Kisame questioningly. The three Akatsuki members were sitting in a small, dark room, lit only by four small candles. There was a folding table between the orange haired man and the pair and other small pieces of ornately decorated furniture sat on every corner of the room.

Itachi slightly nodded, his crimson orbs fixed on the spiral purple eyes of his leader.

Kisame breathed out a huff of irritation. "Leader, we have said this multiple times. Why would we be lying? It's not like—"

The blue-skinned man immediately stopped talking when his partner rested a dangerous palm on his forearm. The two of them have been partners for almost a decade now and though he may be older and larger than Itachi, Kisame knew his place between the partnership and always let his partner get the upper hand in the relationship.

"On our way to the hideout, a little girl around the age of 10 crossed out path," the raven haired man intoned monotonously, but did not look bored or tired in any way. Itachi still could not figure out why or how the girl had been able to fight two notoriously strong Akatsuki members head on without giving a care about her life. A twinge of irritation tugged his mind when he recalled that he and his partner were tricked by a mere 10 year old.

It was then that Kisame spoke up, "Yeah, yeah, we saw this itty bitty girl who knew our full names and our general info." His words were much quieter after that. "I don't know how, but we were unaware that we were going against her clone."

At this, the orange haired man lifted a brow. "Interesting. Keep your guard up. If an incident like this ever occurs again, I will have to push consequences in your way. Losing against a mere child will bring shame upon the Akatsuki Organization and I will tolerate none of that."

Standing up quickly, the leader looked down at his two subordinates with slight disappointment. Walking around the table, he slid open the sliding doors and walked out the dark corridor, his large black cloak with the notorious red clouds swelling in the air.

When the leader was out of earshot, Kisame mumbled his breath, "What an asshole…"

Itachi, however, did not utter a word. He knew the consequences of talking badly about Pein behind his back just by witnessing Deidara's past careless actions.

Flicking his crimson eyes to his partner's, Itachi subtly nodded and fluidly stood up. Kisame also followed suit, and they soon started treading the dark hallway, heading toward their rooms.

The incident with the young silver-haired girl kept playing like a broken record in his mind. There was something about her, something eerie that he could not quite put his finger on. For the first time, the intelligent reels in his mind momentarily halted in confusion. However, his face stayed as stoic as possible, all of his facial muscles relaxed and free of tension.

Itachi's brows furrowed ever so slightly. She surely wasn't a civilian and definitely not a spy, as spies hardly gave themselves away in broad daylight just like that. If she were to be a civilian, she wouldn't be of lower or even middle class since the robes she wore seemed to value at a high price. But still, the possibility of a noble lurking around the forests where dangerous criminals like himself lurked around sounded completely absurd.

If she weren't a spy or a civilian, then what could she be? A ninja? Perhaps. However, her chakra level was so low that it was equivalent to that of an average villager. Itachi pressed his lips firmly. He would find out what and who she is and why she was loitering near the Akatsuki hideout.

Before Itachi and Kisame could reach their suites, Itachi's train of thought immediately shattered, his ninja senses quirking up abruptly as he sensed a familiar chakra right behind. He halted instantly and delivered a swift roundhouse kick to the figure right behind him, feet connecting to soft flesh.

Slightly perplexed at the reason why his kick was against soft flesh instead of muscle, Itachi quickly regained his feet, staring at the individual clutching a very bruised body part in front of him.

"Damnit, Kisame!" the figure—no, the woman hissed. Her arms were folded across her breasts, massaging them as she tried to ebb the pain away. Her countenance was contorted into a painful wince, anger clearly apparent on her face. She hissed and looked up disapprovingly, but surprise struck her heart shaped face which was promptly followed by a bright red blush on both of her cheeks. "O-Oh, Itachi-kun! S-Sorry, I didn't know it was you…"

Regaining her posture and brushing invisible dust off her dark skirt, the woman looked up.

As she took a step closer and into the dim light of a nearby candle, Itachi quickly observed the woman. She had dark brown—almost black—wavy locks and eyes blacker than that of an Uchiha's, framed by thick, luscious lashes. Several locks were adorned with delicate crimson butterfly ribbons, giving her an alluring look. Her outfit consisted of a very revealing top: a mesh, see-through tank top and a black lace bra underneath, which displayed her large breasts without any shame. Matching her bra, she wore long lace fingerless gloves which extended at the end of her forearm, giving her a seductive appeal. A single beauty mark just below her left eye stained her perfectly white skin, but nevertheless made her look even more beautiful.

A short burgundy miniskirt sat high on her hips, showing off her long, smooth, creamy legs. A leather strap circled around her right thigh, holding a number of kunai and expensive ninja weapons exclusively available from high-end stores. A matching leather belt sat at her curvy waist, holding the pure white scabbard of her sword. Red heels strapped her feet, showing off her ruby painted toenails and fingernails. Her Akatsuki robe was tied loosely around her waist, which further accentuated her feminine curves.

The woman's dark mascara soaked lashes fluttered up and down as she looked over at Itachi, the angry expression she wore seconds ago long gone. The plump dark red lips curved upwards as she gazed longingly at the masculine Uchiha ahead of her.

Itachi's brow curved inward, revealing a slightly annoyed expression. "You did that on purpose."

The woman slid right next to Itachi, snaking her slender arms around his muscular appendage. Itachi slightly stiffened at the touch, hating the feel of physical contact with anyone around him.

"Aw, Itachi-kun, you _know_ you enjoyed my lovely greeting!" Her seductive voice echoed off the wooden walls. Standing next to her was an annoyed Kisame, who simply rolled his eyes in exasperation.

She purposely rubbed her large breasts against his arm and cattishly looked up at him, trying to bring out a single non-stoic expression from the Uchiha's statue-like face. Of course, for the millionth time, she knew that he would never go to the extent of showing any other interesting countenance than the constant facial expression he wore for the past decade. And that's what she loved about him. A man who had the utmost self-control in body and mind.

Itachi looked down at the puppy-eyed woman with cold, crimson eyes. He shoved her away, successfully detaching her from his arm. Readjusting his sleeve, he turned his heel and started walking away despite the fact that the poor woman kept calling his name from behind.

Kisame smirked, amused by the interaction between the two Akatsuki members. "Give up already, will ya, Kurogane? I think trying for 8 years is enough already. You know he's never going to respond to your stupid little actions."

Kurogane narrowed her eyes at the shark-nin, her glare becoming deadly and striking. She sneered, immediately bringing her soft countenance to a harsh one. "Hey, fish breath, why don't _you_ give up? I know you've been looking for your mermaid-mate for a while now, but now that mating season has been off limits for you since you popped outta your momma's egg, I think trying for 3 decades is enough already."

A vein in Kisame's forehead popped.

Lunging at the woman ahead of him while unraveling Samehada, the angry shark-nin swung his dangerous sword at Kurogane, but was stopped when Itachi's voice broke out in the air.

"Kisame."

Upon hearing his voice, Kisame reluctantly re-bandaged his massive sword and slid it slowly on his back. He followed Itachi to the end of the hall and looked back, anger spread all over his face. Snarling, the shark-nin said, "Damn you, Kuro! I'll kill you one day for sure!"

Kurogane was smirking at the receding back of Kisame, amused by his perturbed expression. Resting a palm on her waist, she smugly called out, "You won't be able to kill me in a long time, fish breath!" A melancholy expression subtly washed her malicious features, in which both males did not catch. "I have things to do and until then, perhaps I will consider a rematch from the time I obliterated your being."

Both Kisame and Itachi were momentarily puzzled at her words, but Kisame immediately snarled angrily at the woman, though Itachi of course showed no physical reaction to her comment.

Itachi distinctly remembered that Kurogane had these "personal affairs" to tend to. She had been talking about her goals for almost quite a long time now, ever since she joined the Akatsuki Organization one year after he had. But she never disclosed any information in regards to her future plans to anyone, not even her partner, Deidara.

The corner of his mouth tightened subtly. Though they knew each other for almost 7 years, he hardly knew anything about her as she did him. Silently, Itachi had always wanted to erase the façade that she had always masked herself in and find out what made her first join the notorious organization.

The only pieces of information he vaguely knew about her was that she was the same age as him and joined the Akatsuki organization at 14, a year after he had joined. She became a missing-nin and had come from a faraway village, a village he knew nothing about and left her village due to certain "complications." He didn't even know anything about her family or even her surname.

As for her, the only thing she knew of him was the fact that he was an Uchiha and had achieved the highest form of sharingan: the mangekyou, and the fact that another certain Uchiha was going on a rampant raging trek to track him down. Things that he was notorious for.

Despite the fact that Kurogane was covering her secret plans with an artificial personality, Itachi knew that she could probably be one of the most unforgiving, evil criminals among all the Akatsuki members. She was cold-blooded, cold-hearted, and would use any means possible to manipulate anyone into doing anything for her whether it be murdering someone in the most gruesome way possible to painting her pinky nail in a harmless shade of pink.

She was the evilest woman he had ever met. Not that he wasn't evil himself.

Before Kisame could bite Kurogane's dainty neck off with his razor sharp teeth, Itachi gave a stern glare at his partner, instantly freezing his subordinate's actions.

"Kisame," Itachi intoned stoically, though there was an underlying darkness to his tone. "Let's go."

Kisame looked back at Kurogane, who childishly stuck her tongue out at him. "Serves you right, fish breath." She crossed her arms haughtily, giving the shark-nin a smug smile.

Kisame bared his teeth once more, showing off his frightening rows of sharp teeth. Kurogane was unfazed.

With that, the male pair walked through the dark hallway and into their own separate rooms.

Kurogane sniffed at the receding pair uninterestingly. While Kisame served to be some fun during her 7 years of affiliation with the Akatsuki, Itachi always proved to be an impossible mission. Throughout the years, she tried to seduce Itachi into falling head over heels for her physically, but to no avail, he was the first and probably the last man who withstood her alluring charms.

She humphed, disturbed that the man had the nerve to diss her off so unemotionally. One day, she would do anything to seduce him and manipulate him to doing anything. After all, he was an exceptionally strong, intelligent man and she needed that power to support her—especially in the future. But after doing so for so long, Kurogane realized that she started developing feelings for the stoic Uchiha.

Padding at the other end of the dark hall, Kurogane slid open a shōji door, revealing ornate and expensive decorative furniture placed throughout the capacious room. She stepped into her room, taking off her red heels and headed straight to her warm futon. She sat on the warm, electric-heated blankets and started looking at her chipped red nails. Looks like they needed to be redone.

Kurogane instinctively reached down to her sword resting on the leather belt she wore. She traced the beautiful, detailed designs on the pure white scabbard of the sword. But she could not use it, and would never be able to, as every time she unsheathed it, the sword would always reject her.

The dark brunette gazed at her right arm and slowly slid off the lace arm gloves she wore. Tracing over a large scar that marred her perfect skin, a myriad of memories overcame her mind, contorting her countenance into a picture of malice. She stared at the scar again. It was around 6 inches in length and an inch in width. The shape of the scar was similar to that of a jagged lightning bolt.

Her eyebrows narrowed as she shook her head, trying to rid of those thoughts. She had a personal mission to accomplish, a mission to achieve at all costs for the sake of her mother's final wish. Her hand curled in a tight fist as she looked at herself in the mirror determinedly. Whether it be manipulating Uchiha Itachi or even the sly man behind that swirling mask, she would sacrifice anything to accomplish her goal.

And in order to do so, she would need to kill one particular person.

A smile spread her lips. Oh how she would like to rip apart that person limb by limb, watching as that person looked at her blood stained face in pure horror. Kurogane chuckled to herself. What should she do when she finally murdered that person? Stuff that person into dead doll? Or use the cruelest methods of torture? After all, ever since she was just a young child, her mother had taught her over a thousand complicated ways to torture someone mentally and physically.

Kurogane let herself fall onto the soft, plush pillow. Resting her arms behind her head, she maniacally laughed as she anticipated the future—a future where she would gain an enormous amount of wealth and power.

She would rule the world.

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A/N: Hope you enjoyed this chapter! I had a lot of fun introducing this new OC. Make sure to comment and tell me about my story so far! Thank you!


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